Whether you are renovating, looking for new ideas or just killing time, BIO's General Public newsletter is an interesting read.

This month we introduce some of our fabulous new  members who have some excellent products and services on offer as well as keep you in the loop of some interesting, up and coming events.

Do you have a project that needs doing at home?  Why not register it with us for FREE!.  With access to over 1700 members we are well positioned to help you  find the right contractors to assist.  Click here to register now!.

Please enjoy this month’s issue and if you have any suggestions on topics you would like discussed or investigated please send them through to info@buildingindustryonline.com.au .

For our BIO Industry Members!! - Did you know that we do a newsletter just for you?  

With a broad cross section of legislative, government and industry updates as well as information to keep  you in the loop of current events.  The industry newsletter is a must have for all active participants.  To register for our industry newsletter click here.  or email us a info@buildingindustryonline.com.au.

Until next month.

From the "BIO Team".

Tired of trying to find a Builder or Sub-Contractor to quote your work?  Building Industry Online allows General Public members the ability to contact the Builders / Trades all in one easy process.  So no more, flicking through the yellow pages, scribbling down names when you drive past a job site.  Keep reading for more information....

When building or renovating your home, there are many things to consider, such as finding financial support, registered builders, insurance, contracts and safety codes.

BIO's ensures that their members are qualified and/or registered before promoting them on their website.  BIO members are dedicated to their trade and are kept up to date on industry developments and changes to legislation through the BIO Member Newsletter. 

BIO now offers a FREE service to the public to help them find qualified trades, suppliers or consultants through the BIO General Public Jobs Board.

No more ringing trades person after trades person, trying to find someone interested in doing the work, all you need to do is list your job on the General Public Jobs Board.  To ensure you provide as much information as possible you have a free document upload. Upload your full set of working drawings, site photo's and more.  BIO members will contact you after they have had a chance to fully review your project requirements and documents. 

Register your project online today!.

QLD electric resistance hot water system phase-out

From January 2010, existing houses and townhouses (class 1buildings) located in a reticulated natural gas area must install a greenhouse efficient hot water system (gas, solar or heat pump) when the existing electric  resistance system needs replacing. Householders will not need to replace their existing hot water systems that are in good working order.

This requirement does not apply to home owners in existing units (class 2 buildings).

Why was this initiative introduced?

This initiative was announced as part of the Queensland Government’s Climate Smart 2050 strategy in June 2007 to assist in meeting national greenhouse emissions reductions. It was the first initiative of its kind in Australia.

It is estimated this initiative will eliminate up to 1.9million tonnes of greenhouse gas by 2020. This is the equivalent of removing up to 450 000 cars off the road.

How will this benefit me?

Around 27 per cent of electricity used in the average Queensland household isfor heating water – making hot water systems one of the highest single energy users and greenhouse gas contributors in the home. Replacing an electric hotwater system with a greenhouse efficient system is one of the most effective ways to reduce your household’s carbon footprint.

Most greenhouse–efficient hot water systems have lower running costs than electric systems. For example, having a solar hot water system can save up to 25 per cent annually on household electricity bills.

Bowen Business Information Forum - Thursday 20th May

Speakers:

Lindsay Richardson, General Manager - Mackay Region Xstrata Coal QLD

Angus Karoll, Chairman & Acting CEO, Westside Corporation Ltd

Speakers be providing updates on their projects being delivered in and around Collinsville.

Forum is presented over breakfast which begins at 6.30am at the Queens Beach Hotel, Bowen

RSVP by Friday 14th May to Chantal Williams 07 4946 0111 or via email admin@enterprisewhitsundays.com.au

For Lease...New Commercial Warehouse w Mezzanine Offices - Location Garbutt

Stylish warehouse units seeking interest from potential tenants looking to upgrade from their current location. The modern complex features multiple tenancies ranging from 235 m2 to 708 m2 and could even be leased as a whole with up to 1513 m2. The owner will happily alter tenancy divisions to suit specific requirements.

The units have been constructed with concrete tilt panels which boast and mezzanine offices and undercover parking. The developer will happily include fit out incentives which will be designed to suit your business activities.

For more information please click here .

Flinders Street Redevelopment - Experience the Change

What a difference a few weeks can make! While the Flinders Street Redevelopment has many more months to travel, the initial work has already unveiled the true beauty of a number of historic buildings.

The removal of structures that cluttered the mall has effectively opened up wider views of the original facades, including the Brewery and the Perc Tucker Gallery.

And there’s more to come, with WATPAC Civil and Mining preparing to demolish the bridgelink between Northtown and Cue, the Police Beat and the former Visitor Information Centre.

After 17 years, Centre Stage has also disappeared from the mall and is being housed at Jezzine Barracks until a new owner and a new site is found.

• Project managers: Thinc (local).
• Architect, urban design, lead consultant: Cox Rayner (locally based for the design phase) in partnership with Tippett Schrock (local) who will also co-ordinate specialist consultants.
• Interpretive specialist: Convergence Design.
• Signage and way-finding: Dot Dash.
• Environmental sensitive design: Cundall.
• Landscape architect: Place Design Group (local).
• Building, site services, hydraulics: AECOM (local).
• Civil and structural design: AECOM (local).
• Cost consultants: Rider Levett Bucknall (local).

Trust chairman John Bearne said the selection of the design team was an important step in bringing the Jezzine concept plan to reality.

Whilst TLife stores provide all of the necessary tools to develop your communications strategy, their local team of trained business representatives can also work in with you to suit your business practices and we can ‘come to you’.

The outbound business team also assist businesses in local surrounding areas including Ingham, Ayr and Charters Towers. They are solutions specialists in relation to mobile phones, internet solutions, home phones, THUB, business phone systems and Navman Wireless Vehicle Tracking systems for all business types and sizes.

So, whatever your needs are in communications, if you need to tell your customers who you are, where you are, what you do or how you do it, the most important business partnership that you develop in 2010 should be with the Townsville Team of Peter Collings & Suzanne McQuillan and their Castletown TLife and Willows TLife stores.

Visit a store or call today 07 4721 5151.

Curtain Coordinates are manufacturers and suppliers of Curtains, Panel Glides, Roman Blinds and Roller Blinds. All other window furnishing products we supply are sourced locally. They also offer a full installation service.

Depending on the course you choose, TAFE gives you the flexibility to study full-time, part-time or off campus.

Choose to activate your future in; General Education, a Trade, Tourism, Hospitality, Arts, Community Services, Children's Services and Health, Hair and Beauty, Horticulture, Business, Justice, Retail, IT, Marine, Fitness or Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander studies.

Remember, your experience + TAFE = a qualification! TAFE can help you activate your promotion using your years of experience to fast-track a formal qualification through Recognition of Prior Learning.

Between 2010 and 2013, Australia will be switching to digital TV. This means that analog television signals will no longer be received. How will this affect landlords and tenants?

What is digital TV?
The word ?digital? simply refers to the way in which TV signals are broadcast (sent) and received by TVs in homes around Australia. Currently in Australia, TV is broadcast in both digital and analog. However the analog signals will be gradually phased out across the country between 2010 and 2013, and a TV signal will become digital-only.

Why is the government turning off analogue signals?
In addition to cost effectiveness and freeing up space for additional broadcast services by making analog redundant, digital technology is being adopted all over the world and it is important that Australia keeps pace with global technological advances. Before long, analog TV equipment will no longer be available in Australia.

When is a system ready for digital TV?
In most circumstances some level of digital reception will be available from existing systems and certain systems may not require an upgrade.

When a system is upgraded or installed new, you should ensure that:

• It complies with the design specifications and meets the requirements of the Australian Standard AS/NZS 1367:2007 Coaxial cable and optical fibres systems for the RF distribution of analog and digital TV and sound signals in single and multiple dwelling installations; and
• Every TV outlet has been tested to ensure all digital free-to-air signals are free from interference and within the level ranges specified in the standard.

What do Tenants need to know?
To keep receiving free-to-air television after the digital switchover in the area, Tenants need a television that is capable of receiving digital signals.

Most importantly, Tenants do not need to buy a new television to do this! Analog TVs will be able to receive digital signals as long as the Tenant adds a digital set top box. One set top box is needed for each television to be converted.

There are two options:

1. Convert the existing analog TV using a digital set top box.
2. Upgrade to a television with an in-built digital tuner.

What is a set top box?
A set top box converts signals back to analog, so the viewer can see digital free-to-air TV on an analog set. Set top boxes range from basic Standard Definition (SD) models to more advanced High Definition (HD) models and Personal Video Recorders (PVRs), which will give features like electronic programming and pausing/replaying live TV. The cost of the set top box will vary depending on the option chosen.

What do Landlords need to know?
Landlords need to consider the effects that the switchover will have on their rental property's current antenna set up as this effects the reception of signals. While most homes may not require any significant modification, others may need relatively modest upgrades to their antenna systems.

What is involved in the conversion process?
It is a matter of determining if the current TV antenna/aerial will receive the digital broadcasts in your area and also ensuring the equipment is able to effectively distribute the TV signals for the tenant to receive reception.

For existing TV distribution systems this would initially involve a survey and then an upgrade of certain required elements of the system. There are likely to be costs associated with the conversion process. For units, these may include:

• Upgrading the rooftop antenna/aerial
• Running new cabling
• Buying new amplifiers
• Labour costs associated with the design and installation of the above

For houses, these may include:

• Upgrading the rooftop antenna/aerial;
• Installation of new shielded cabling
• Labour costs associated with the design and installation of the above

Once the building or home has been upgraded (if required), residents will also have to purchase equipment, such as a set top box or TV with a digital tuner so they can receive digital free-to-air transmissions.

Antenna systems for homes
A typical household system will normally consist of an antenna, cabling, wall plates and flyleads leading to the digital reception equipment. Problems with receiving digital services may occur in one or more parts of the system, resulting in the digital signal not being carried effectively. In such cases replacement needs to be considered.

An initial assessment should be made of each part of the existing system to find out whether an upgrade is required. The level of upgrading necessary will vary depending on what equipment is used in the existing installation.

There is no need to upgrade antenna systems or cabling to receive High Definition (HD) digital signals if the dwelling receives Standard Definition (SD) digital signals clearly.

A Single Dwelling Antenna TV System Assessment Checklist can found at Appendix B in the 2009 Digital TV Antenna Systems Handbook, available from the Australian Government, Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy - Digital Switchover Task force.

Go to www.abcb.gov.au to download the handbook.

Antenna systems for shared antennas (such as unit blocks)
There are various ways of distributing TV signals throughout a building ? the best outcome will depend on the location of the building, its particular circumstances and the availability of free-to-air services.

Digital reception may be achieved when broadband amplifiers are used in distribution systems, but old antennas may not adequately receive new digital transmission channels. This means old antennas may need to be upgraded.

A Master/Communal Antenna TV System Installation Assessment Form has been devised and should be completed by the installer and be included with their quote for works on the system. This form can be found in Appendix A, in the 2009 Digital TV Antenna Systems Handbook.

When will NSW be affected?

• Mildura - mid 2010
• Broken Hill - late 2010
• Regional NSW - 2012
• Sydney & Gosford - 2nd half 2013

When will QLD be affected?

• Regional QLD - 2nd half 2011
• Brisbane - 1st half 2013
• Other Areas QLD - 2nd half 2013

For a more detailed description of the digital TV roll out, you can visit www.australia.gov.au/digitalready or

for more general information visit www.digitalready.gov.au

Source: Real Estate Journal (November 2009)

Bank of Queensland

No application fee on your home load! Save 0.7%p.a. variable, no monthly fee ad a host of other discounts to help you pay off your home sooner.  BIO Member Finance Deal.

TP Human Captial - 10% off all of your Training needs.

With courses in Computer Skills, Accounting, Supervisory Skills, Project Management Skills and much more.  Click here to find out more.

Buy & Sell Classifieds

If you are renovating or just have an eye for a bargain, check out the BIO Buy & Sell Classifieds.  There are currently listed some great flooring items, timber beams as well other landscaping products, whitegoods & so much more.

NEW Listings: Backhoe, Kwila Decking, Pool Fencing, Coconut Timber Decking, Washing Machine and more...

Jobs Classifieds

If you have positions vacant, make the most of targeting those in the industry. Listing your jobs is FREE for registered BIO members! New jobs have been listed this month....

What happens when you register your project with BIO? Step 1→ Register as aGeneral Public Member of the site. Step 2 →Click Register your Project. Step 3 → Fill out your scope of works and attached your project documentation. Step 4 → Your project will be live within 24 hours.  The BIO Team will administer your project and link you to your requested Consultants, Tradies, Builders and Suppliers. Step 5 → You will receive an email notification with the contact details of all BIO members interested in your project.  You can wait for them to contact you or you can contact them. To assist you with your project administration, BIO will provide you will a full "ON Project" report.  This report will list the full contact information of interested members, for your project. In addition, you will also receive notification of all BIO members who are not interested in your project.  (Another way BIO works for you and saves you time) Step 6 → Receive your quotes. Step 7→  Once you are happy with the  level of response call your BIO Team and we will remove your project. You will no longer receive calls or emails from interested members.  ( BIO Trade Contractors, Consultant and Builders Members must be registered and licensed to be accepted as members of Building Industry Online.) www.buildingindustryonline.com.au

Looking for a single industry member? Use our free search tool to quickly find available Trade contractors in your location. Enter the search criteria as well as the dates you require assistance.  Hit submit and an available list of trades, consultants or builders will display.  Click here for full instructions. Try it today!.